Banned Substance Found in Air Purifier Replacement Filters

[Anchor]

It is time for the Friendly Economy segment with reporter Han Jiyeon. Han, today (July 29) we are talking about air purifiers.

[Reporter]

This is a matter as important as stock prices.

Many people use compatible replacement filters for air purifiers because they are cheaper than official brand-name products. However, banned chemical substances have been detected in some of these filters meant to filter out bad air.

The Korea Consumer Agency examined 20 compatible filters.

The selection was based on a survey of 1,500 consumers who actually used them over the past three years.

First, methylisothiazolinone, or MIT, was detected in the deodorization filters of two products: Itec's TSI Gray Premium and Sejin Aqua's Sejin Gray Filter.

MIT is a substance legally banned from being used in products with inhalation risks, and filters fall under this ban for the same reason.

Among the 20 products tested, 11 were made in Korea and 9 in China. Both products where MIT was detected were made in China.

Let us listen to what they have to say.

[Interview: Na Eun-su / Head of the Machinery & Mobility Team at the Korea Consumer Agency: MIT is indeed the substance that became an issue during the humidifier disinfectant case. When exposed to high concentrations or for long periods, it can cause eye irritation, skin itching, and respiratory problems.]

Of course, the agency drew a line, stating that it is difficult to view the potential damage in the same way because the exposure method and concentration differ from humidifier disinfectants.

What is even more unsettling is a separate issue.

Both companies maintain the position that they have never used MIT, but they cannot explain why it was detected.

The Consumer Agency has also separately notified the competent ministries regarding these two products.

So far, over 600 units of the two products combined have been sold. If you have purchased these products, you can request an exchange or refund through the company's contact information.

[Anchor]

Were there also many products that failed to perform properly?

[Reporter]

Out of the 20 products, 16 failed to meet the standards for removing harmful gases, and 12 fell short of the standards for removing fine dust.

Compatible filters have similar shapes and functions to original products, but their prices are at 30% to 56% of the original ones, leading to an increase in demand.

However, most of these products failed to even properly filter out harmful gases, which is the basic role of a filter.

Five types of harmful gases were tested: formaldehyde, ammonia, acetaldehyde, acetic acid, and toluene.

Among these, formaldehyde is also designated as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

The standard requires that each of the five individual gases must be removed by at least 40%, and the average removal rate must also be 70% or higher.

However, 16 out of the 20 products—the ones currently shown on your screen—failed to meet this standard.

How do they compare with genuine parts?

Genuine products showed an average removal efficiency of at least 81% and up to 100%, whereas the substandard products only managed an average of 20% to 63%.

Products that met the standards achieved between 73% and 79%.

Only 4 out of the 20 products met the standards, and all of them were made in Korea.

[Anchor]

There really were very few products that met the standards.

[Reporter]

That is correct. Also, people naturally wonder, "Then what should I buy?"

Among the 20 products, only 2 met the harmful gas standards, showed relatively superior fine dust removal performance, and were relatively affordable in price.

Among the 4 products that passed the harmful gas test earlier, the ones that also excelled in fine dust removal were Daemyung Tech's Daemyung Filter and Majungmul's Major Filter.

Their prices were also relatively low for compatible filters, in the mid-30,000 KRW and mid-28,000 KRW ranges, respectively.

You might think, "Should I just use the original product?" However, original filters are nearly two to three times more expensive than compatible ones, so it is difficult to say that genuine parts are unconditionally the only answer.

When purchasing compatible filters, first check if they are compatible with the air purifier you are currently using.

You must check not only the performance but also the replacement cycle.

The filter replacement cycle varies from 3 to 12 months depending on the product, and filter replacement alerts operate based on original filters, meaning you need to check the replacement cycle recommended by the seller separately for compatible filters.

Good maintenance is also required to maintain filter performance.

Washing harmful gas and fine dust filters with water can degrade their performance, and when not in use for a long time, it is recommended to separate and seal them for storage.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.